GemologyOnline.com • View topic - Question as to PD Stamping on Ring... (I am a newbie). (2024)

FAQs

What does PD mean on a ring? ›

PD usually stands for PALLADIUM. So your ring might be silver with palladium or its silver coated with palladium. It's used as lower cost alternative to platinum or rhodium plating. It's not as tarnish resistant but if does resist discoloring and it's pretty stable under most conditions. And it's scratch resistant.

Palladium Is More Valuable than Gold & Silver

A silvery-white precious metal, palladium isn't the most expensive of all precious metals, but it's certainly up there.

Palladium is a chemical element with symbol Pd and atomic number 46.

Just because your piece of gold doesn't have a hallmark doesn't mean that it's fake. Older pieces of gold may not have a hallmark because it wasn't required in the past. Most of the time, the hallmark is on the inside of the ring, on the clasp of a necklace or bracelet, or on the post of the earrings.

Look for hallmarks

It might even include letters, AU for gold and AG for silver. No stamp? If your piece of jewellery does not have a hallmark/stamp, it most likely means that it is made of a non-precious metal, such as brass.

Why Might Jewelry Not Be Stamped? Jewelry might not be stamped if it is made of less than 14 karats (and therefore not required by law to be stamped) or if it was made before 1992 (when the law requiring stamps was enacted).

Palladium has continued its legacy and popularity for jewelry use because it doesn't tarnish or lose its shine over time as much as silver and gold can, making it a great choice for people who want something durable but still fashionable.

Palladium is Highly Sought-After

There's a massive industrial and commercial demand for palladium because of the metal's diverse range of applications. This means palladium will remain highly sought-after independent of the conditions in the precious metals market.

abbreviation for (in the US) Police Department.

Palladium is not magnetic, so it should not be attracted to a magnet. Using a strong neodymium magnet, you can check if the item is attracted to the magnet. If it is not attracted, it may be palladium, but this test alone is not conclusive, as other precious metals like gold and platinum are also non-magnetic.